This is from a reader of The Nation (Bangkok):

A parable on the benefits of holding lotteries:

On the subject of lotteries and fairness: A man goes up country for a few days' vacation. During his vacation he buys a donkey for Bt10,000 from a farmer. He is persuaded to come and get the donkey the following day.

The next morning the man returns to pick up his donkey and discovers that the donkey has died during the night. He demands his money back, but the farmer has already spent it all.

To the farmer's great surprise, the man decides to bring the dead donkey home.

After a month they meet again and the farmer can not resist asking what the man had done with the donkey. The man replies: "I started a lottery with the donkey as first prize and I sold 500 lottery tickets at Bt100 each, and thus I made a profit of Bt39,900."

"But, the donkey was dead, did no one complain?" the farmer asked.

"Sure, but only the guy who won, and he got his Bt100 back," answered the man.

Alas, the farmer made a small profit, the donkey died, ticket buyers never stood a chance and the guy behind the lottery walked away with most of the money.

Eminent

BANGKOK

So that is how you could afford a car such as yours mate?